A 1920s Christmas is tainted by murder.
Lady Eleanor Swift and her entourage are bound to the wild Yorkshire Moors to spend Christmas at Auldwyke Hall as guests of the Duke. The only saving grace making this venture pleasant is that Eleanor’s fiancé, Hugh Seldon, is actually going to attend with them. They hope to find some quiet time alone to discuss their future plans. Alas, almost immediately after arrival, Eleanor stumbles upon the dead body of the Duke’s secretary. Mr. Porritt has been strangled and left for dead in a storeroom.
Their holiday is near ruined now as Eleanor, Hugh, and butler Clifford spend their time trying to suss out a killer.
As always, the characters make this such a fun and satisfying cozy mystery. It’s definitely a series that should be read in order from the beginning in order to develop a relationship with each of them. Eleanor is definitely unconventional, compassionate, and clever as she helps investigate nasty crimes and find justice. I enjoy all the period details and a particularly interesting aspect is that the book includes a recipe for genuine Yorkshire Christmas Pie (circa 1747) and some historical notes on rural policing, clay pigeon shooting, Prussic acid, inheritance laws, miniature books, and Edwardian Christmas trees. All of which feature in the story.
I was able to listen to the audiobook while also following along in the e-book ARC — both provided by the publisher. The narrator, Karen Cass, did a fabulous job of voicing all the different characters and bringing them to life with appropriate dramatic flair. This excellent production definitely enhanced my enjoyment of the book.
If you are looking for a great cozy mystery series set in the UK in the 1920s, I can highly recommend this one. I’m already looking forward to the next installment.
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